Institute for Nature Conservation of Province

Protected species and areas on the Danube (overlapping with the critical sectors)

Marko Tucakov

5th meeting Forum of Stakeholders of the Project „Preparation of documentation for River Training Works on the Critical Sectors of the Danube River in “

Belgrade, 26 October 2012 History

The Danube riparian landcape has been subject of historic structural interventions for: • flood protection (building of protection dikes disconnecting the floodplain) • navigation (bed straightening, fixing of banks, fairway stabilisation via dredging) • guiding walls and groynes, low water regulation by closing off side- arms) • power generation (impoundments, peak operation) • agriculture (diking off of floodplain; irrigation) • forestry (plantations of domestic and alien species) • urban development (housing and industry zones; recreation activities; excavation of construction material.

The most important effect of hystorical cnanges on the Danube: the dynamic natural landscape was turned into a regulated, multi-use water body. Result of hystorical changes

. Interventions have triggered ecological deterioration (such as bed erosion, disclosure of side-arms, artificial embankments, changed hydrology etc.) and often have multi-purpose functions, combining better navigability, hydro-energy exploitation, flood protection and other floodplain uses (agriculture, urban development etc.). . They affect the river ecology (ecological water quality), i.e. habitats, species, ecosystems, river hydrology (water quantity) and morphology along the entire river. Current complex needs of the altered Danube river

. Sediment dynamics / bed stability . Longitudinal continuity . Lateral connectivity . River and floodplain habitats . Waterway-related impacts: fairway adaptation according to river conditions, establishing low and middle water regulations and reduction of vessel- related impacts (wave splash) . Development of a vision / leitbild Key areas on the Danube in Serbia (between 1433 and 1173 rkm)

. INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATIONS: . Ramsar Sites (established according to the Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran, 1971) . Important Bird Areas (IBA, BirdLife International, 2004) . Important Plant Areas

. NATIONAL DESIGNATIONS: . National Ecological Network: Ecologically Important Areas . National Ecological Network: Designated (some!) Habitats of Strictly Protected Species . Protected areas: Special Nature Reserves and Nature Parks Emerald Network

. Sites designated as important habitats fior species protected under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats Ramsar sites

. Designated after Convention on Wetlands . Key point: international agreement on wise use of wetlands . Gornje . Overlaps with 9 critical sectors . Koviljsko-petrovaradinski rit . Overlaps with 3 critical sectors . Overlaps partialy with the Special Nature Reserve (conservation measures) Important Bird Areas

. Designated after BirdLife Interbational (2000), national inventory made in 2009 . Key point: the most important national sites of international importance selected after strict European criteria (size of population of selected species) . Potential Natura2000 sites under the Bird Directive (criterium C) . Only one of four potentially affected by the project is not a protected area (Danube Loess Bluff), but overlaps with critical sector 24 (Preliv) . Conservation measures: the ones dfor designated protected areas and National Ecological Network Important Plant Areas

. Designated after PlantLife International (2005) . Two overlaping with the critical sector, but both parts of protected areas . Key point: the most important national sites of international importance selected after strict European botanical criteria . Have legal status sa part of the National Ecological Network Designated Habitats of Strictly Protected Species

. Part of National Ecological Network (according to the Decree on National Ecological Network) . Key point: some designated habitats of strictly protected species (where those species reach densiest concentrations, outside of protected areas) . Conservation mesures: in Decree on Ecological Network and Law on Nature Conservation . 25 potentially affected by the project (on the river banks and in the floodplains) . 8 affected by the project (overlaping with the critical sectors) . Example: BEO 22b (Susečka ada) – overlaping with the critical sector 18 (Susek) Nature Parks

. Begečka Jama and Tikvara . Designated according to the decision of regional authorities of City of and Municipality of Bačka Palanka . Key point: protected areas where people live sustainably with the conserved nature . Overlaping with critical sectors 17 (Bačka Palanka) and 18 (Susek) . Conservation measures: prescribed in establishing documents Special Nature Reserves

. Category I protected areas . Established by the governmental decrees . Key point: very valuable vast areas of conserved nature, where internal zonation prescribes variours regimes: from no use to limited comercial use, but with the conservation as top prioiority . Internal zonation and conservation measures prescribed by the decrees . Gornje Podunavlje: 9 critical sectors . Karađorđevo: 2 critical sectors . Koviljski Rit: 3 critical sectors Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Birds

. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius (žalar slepić) . Breeds on sand and gravel islets and beaches in the river bed . Strictly protected species in Serbia, distribution limited to river ecosystem with preserved dynamic . Breeds in 13 critical sectors . Potential negative effects of Project activities: destruction of breeding sites by dredging, moving of machinery and disposition of sediment after dredging . Potential positive effects of Project activities: creation of completely new breeding sites . ATTENTION! Careful EIS is needed Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Birds

. Sand Martin Riparia riparia • Strictly protected species in Serbia, (bregunica) breedds in colonies on step sand and loess walls • The largest European breeding colony si in Serbia, on the Danube (in 2011: 12000 pairs) • Breeds in 4 critical sectors • Possible negative effects of Project activities: removal of (parts of or whole) breeding walls, removal of potential breeding walls; placement Breeding colony on critical sector 9 of machinery on top of the breeding walls • Possible positive effects of Project activities: creation of new potential breeding walls Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Birds

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis • Strictly protected species in Serbia, (vodomar) breedds in colonies on step sand and loess walls • Breeds in several critical sectors • Possible negative effects of Project activities: removal of (parts of or whole) breeding walls, removal of potential breeding walls; placement of machinery on top of the breeding walls, destruction of feeding sites • Possible positive effects of Project activities: creation of new potential breeding walls, creation of potential feeding sites Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Birds

. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (belorepan) . Black Kite Milvus migrans (crna lunja) . Both Strictly Protected Species in Serbia . Large birds of prey, breeding in old, conserved floodplain forests, feeding on the river bed, gravel and sand islets and banks . One third of the national population of White-tailed Eagle and almost a half of population of Black Kite breeds along the critical sectors • Possible negative effects of Project activities: disturbation of birds on feeding sites Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Plants

. Limosella aquatica (Strictly . Ecological specialists protected in Serbia) . Growing on sand or gravel islets . Populations on critical sectors is important on the national level . CAUTION! Mapping is needed prior to the action, . Lindernia palustris (Strictly and careful EIA protected in Serbia) . CAUTION! Destruction of stands in vegetation season banned by the national legislation Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Fish

. Starlet (Acipenser ruthenus) kečiga . Priotected species in Serbia, hunting prohibited between 1 March and 31 May, minimal allowed size of individuals that can be hunted: 40 cm . IUCN: VU . Lives in the river bed, most often on sand, graveld and clay parts of the bottom; yound individuals in the first year live in shallow water with sandy bottom (surroundings of sand islets, river arms) . The most siginfican threat: lost of spawning sites by dredging, sand exploitation, waterbody regulations and polution . Spawning areas: always with the gravel bottom . Regular on two critical sectors . Potential negative effects of project activities: deterioration and destruction of spawning sites Key Species Potenially Affected by the Project: Mammals

. Otter Lutra lutra (vidra) Strictly Protected in Serbia; IUCN: NT

. Present and reprocuces on all cricital sectors . Possible negative effects of Project activities: canalization of river, removal of bank side vegetation, dam construction, pollution (spills) . CAUTION! Careful IAE is essential . MOST SERIOUS POSSIBLE THREAT: changes in bank morphology on sites serving for possible reproduction holes Key messages

. Project activities can have negative influence on protected areas and protected species, but also some positive ones can be expected . Careful EIA is essential . Consultation of experts and conservationists are essential . Lagal procedure regarding issuing of permits from the nature conservation sector, according to the nature Conservation Law, is obligatory (bravo, PLOVPUT!) . Post-activity monitoring of key species is welcome Thank you!

. Marko Tucakov . Ornithology; International Cooperation and Management of Projects . Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province . www.pzzp.rs . [email protected]